


Glowing Flowers in the Night Sky

by EmeraldAbstinence



Series: Family Holiday [2]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: -Ish, Bonfire Night, Eggsy as Galahad, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone's a worrywort, Family Fluff, Gen, Harry as Arthur, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm bad at titles too, Kinda, was meant to be fluff but got serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 06:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5153354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldAbstinence/pseuds/EmeraldAbstinence
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Eggsy, how long have we been Kingsmen?”</p>
<p>“How should I fuckin' know?”</p>
<p>“Over 30 years.” Harry let that information sink in, noting that Eggsy looked impressed at the number. “Do you know how many times I've seen a man burn to death?”</p>
<p>Eggsy paled as he started to realise where they were going.</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daisy's school is putting on a Fireworks display for Bonfire Night, Eggsy invites Harry and Merlin but how do they react when faced with certain stimuli that could give them flashbacks to previous missions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glowing Flowers in the Night Sky

**Author's Note:**

> So, again, I miss my own personal deadline for when I wanted this up, oh well, third time's the charm right?
> 
> Oh, and before people read, I would like to clarify, I know nothing about ptsd other than what it is, okay? But like everything in life I believe it is down to the individual and that their experiences may differ greatly to another person. Well, that's what I'm sticking with anyway.

Harry and Merlin were sat in the latter's office, piles of reports sprawled on every surface and towering piles threatening to topple as the two men went through the annual budget. Harry tried to block out as much of Merlin's aggravated mumbling as possible while trying to stem his own at the rapidly growing numbers.

Who knew that Kingsman issue glasses cost £10,000 a pair to make?

“So I take it this aint a good time to interrupt?”

Harry looked up to see Eggsy leaning against the open door, eyes wide at the sight of so much paperwork.

“Unless you come bearing coffee with an Irish twist then, yea, it's bad timing.” Merlin growled as he threw another report across the room and added a rather disturbingly high number to the amount. A reprimand was also slapped on Bors' personnel file.

“Ignore him Eggsy, I'd actually rather enjoy a break from this…” Harry trailed off, waving a hand around the room. 

Really no words could describe the torture that was the budget.

“Tha' bad?”

“I suppose its not quite as bad as the first time we did it.” Harry said looking to Merlin and receiving a shrug. “He may have been Arthur for many years but Chester King was not very good at bookkeeping.”

“Still spending way too much. Harry, we're gonna have to put a cap on ammo usage and Bors has to be limited to two Lighters per mission.”

“How many did he take for that one in Shanghai?”

“Sixteen.”

Harry and Eggsy looked at him aghast.

“He used all of 'em?”

“Aye lad, and when he ran out he made a bomb out of a restaurant's kitchen.”

“He blew up a restaurant?” Eggsy looked rather sick at the thought. Ah, the younger agent was probably concerned about innocent lives being taken.

“It was run by a group associated with the Triads, no civilian casualties.” Harry quirked an eyebrow and the younger man flushed remembering the Kingsman motto: a Kingsman only condones risking a life to save another.

“What brought you down here, lad?”

“Oh, so err, Daisy's school is putting sumthin' on for bonfire night and Daisy really wants her uncles to go wiv, so you in?” 

“I didn't think school's celebrated bonfire night when it landed on a school night.”

“Nah, they don't normally,” Eggsy agreed nodding his head, “but Daisy's is having an inset day on Friday so they decided to put on a fireworks display tonight.”

“I see.” 

Harry and Merlin shared a look, silently determining who would have to explain to Eggsy why that was a bad idea. 

“If ya worried 'bout mum, she said that she'd be fine with ya going, 'specially after looking after Daisy 'n me on Halloween.” 

Eggsy looked highly disgusted at the idea his mum thought he still needed a babysitter when he was over 20-years-old.

Merlin arched his brow and pointedly took an alarmingly thick folder off of the 'still to go through' pile, intent on ignoring the interlopers in his office. Harry took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose having obviously lost the battle. He had to think of a way to not offend the young man or give the impression that the older agents didn't want to spend time with the people who had become family to them over the last few years.

“It's not that we wouldn't want to go-”

“But you don't want to go, no worries I get it.” Eggsy finished looking utterly unhappy as he turned to race out of the room.

“Eggsy, wait!” Eggsy stopped, shoulders sagging disappointedly as he turned back, a mighty sullen expression on his face. “A gentleman waits until one finishes one's sentence before jumping to conclusions.”

The newest Galahad's face cleared a little at the implications that they would actually agree to go and Harry looked over to Merlin, begging the Scot to take over.

“What Harry means to say is that, while we'd like to go, we don't know how safe it will be.”

“Safe? It's just fireworks and a bonfire, nothing too dangerous.” Eggsy reconsidered. “Unless the guys they hired are a bunch of idiots.”

“We don't mean the display, though there's always danger with fireworks.” Harry said, remembering all too well one story of a Headteacher who died after a firework blew up in his face from many years ago. “No, we don't know how safe the people attending will be from us.”

“Huh? You wouldn't hurt any-”

Eggsy cut himself off as he caught the very serious expressions on the older agents faces.

“Eggsy, how long have we been Kingsmen?”

“How should I fuckin' know?”

“Over 30 years.” Harry let that information sink in, noting that Eggsy looked impressed at the number. “Do you know how many times I've seen a man burn to death?”

Eggsy paled as he started to realise where they were going.

“No.”

“Harry's seen 28 first hand. I've seen 54 as primary handler for various agents over the years and once first hand.” Merlin stated, not even pretending to pay attention to the file that was hanging limply from his hands, looking faintly sick at the memory. “How many explosions have you been involved in, Harry?”

“Too many to count, the same could be said of you second hand.” 

Merlin nodded in agreement.

“I'm not ashamed to admit that there are occasions when I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, add that to Kingsman training and something as simple as Guy Fawkes Night can be quite catastrophic.”

“There was that one bonfire night after a mission in Israel where you slipped into the sewer to 'wait out the bombing'.” Merlin recalled, trying to lighten the tension that had built in the room. Harry felt the blush that rose on his cheeks.

“Fireworks do occasionally sound like mortar fire, and it wasn't the sewer.”

“No, just the panic room you built… in the sewer.”

Before Harry could retort further, Eggsy got them back to the original conversation.

“Okay, guys, I get it, you don't want to go because you've seen a load of shite and don't want it to affect other people.”

Eggsy's bitter disappointment hung heavily in the air and broke Harry's heart, Merlin's too by the way the man slumped in his chair. He made up his mind and just hoped the decision wouldn't cost them too dearly.

“We could go as long as there are precautions in place.” 

Eggsy perked up considerably, much like JB when he heard dog treats.

“Harry, I don't thi-”

“No weapons.” The others looked confused so he expanded further. “Of any kind, held by anyone of us.”

“But-”

“No, Eggsy. I know you and Roxy are good but even so, Merlin and myself would be able to disarm you before either of you even realised you were missing a weapon.”

“Who said Roxy was gonna be there?”

Harry and Merlin just stared at Eggsy until he shifted slightly.

“When have you ever not invited Roxy out when she's been off duty, laddie?”

“Shaddup!”

“Carrying on,” Harry said, ignoring the smug Merlin and fuming Eggsy, “we'll also have to stay at the back of the crowd, preferably as far away from the bonfire and display as possible.”

“Tha's alright, mum didn't want to be too close anyways 'cos of Daisy's ears.”

“Am I missing anything, Merlin?”

The man got up and went to another desk in the corner of his office, carelessly shoving a heap of reports to the side and pulling open one of the drawers. He came back to Harry and Eggsy who spotted the small grey box in his hands. When opened it revealed a pair of signet rings, one of which was given to Harry while Merlin put the other on his own finger.

Harry looked at it dubiously.

“Wha' is it and why don't I get one?”

“After what happened to Harry in Kentucky, I started working on a way to stop agents in the field losing control like that ever again.”

“And?”

“The ring – when activated by the person wearing it – will administer a fast-acting tranquillizer that will not out even the most stubborn of agents.” Merlin finished giving Harry a dark stare, only stopping when the older man put the ring on as well.

“Still don't explain why I don't get one. I gone through some shit too, ya know?”

“You don't get one, Eggsy, because I've only had time to make these two prototypes despite it being years since I came up with the idea.”

“Prototype?”

“Let's put it this way, Harry, at least we'll know first hand whether they really work or not, unlike the original Lighter prototypes, hmm?”

“Very well.” Harry scowled slightly at the memory of the first batch of lighter grenades… that never actually blew up.

“Wha' if they don't work?”

“That's where you and Roxy will take over and knock us out. Or at least die trying.”

“So I can tell Daisy that her favourite uncles are coming then?” 

The massive grin on Eggsy's face put Harry on edge slightly. Had they just fallen for a trap that would come back to bite them in the ass?

“Only if you can get tickets for us.”

“Already bought mate, been planning this since Daisy convinced you to come trick or treating with us!”

Harry was sure his face looked just as stupefied as his oldest friend's did.

“You planned us going all week, yet didn't ask us until last minute?”

“Well, yeah. Knowing you two, you'd have made sure there was a mission or sumthin that you just had to command just so ya wouldn't hafta go!”

“Lad's not wrong.”

“Quiet you, we've got a lot of work to finish before tonight now that we have plans.”

“Damn!”

“Eggsy, we'll meet you at the school tonight, make sure Roxy knows the plan.” Harry went to go back to scouring the report he'd been going through before Eggsy had interrupted before turning back having realised he'd forgotten something. “Ah, what time should we aim to get there by?”

“The gates are open at 7pm but the bonfire will be lit at 8pm.” Eggsy said, before smirking wickedly. “Remember to wrap up warm, guys, its so easy for old people to get colds.” 

Eggsy scrambled from the room cackling madly as Merlin's cup barely missed hitting him.

“I regret this already.”

“Aye, and you'll regret it even more that you've dragged me into it too, daft sod.”

Harry kicked him.

 

\-----linebreak---------

 

The black Kingsman cab pulled up outside the school – or actually as close to the school as it could get what with the street almost completely filled with cars and parents shepherding their children through the school gates into the playground. Out of the car, Harry zipped up the winter coat Andrew had given him on his way out of the shop and waited while Merlin grumbled his way out pulling a navy blue hat on his head.

“Not to give Eggsy credit, but he was damn right about it being bloody cold tonight!”

Harry silently agreed, watching the cab pull away and wishing fervently that he had gotten back in. Instead of lingering too long on that thought, he looked around trying to spot the small Unwin family and Roxy through the crowd. Why hadn't they agreed on a place to meet up?

“Come on, Harry, we best get inside and look for them there.” Merlin said, taking Harry's elbow and guiding him gently towards the open gates that looked more menacing at night than they had the one time Harry had picked Daisy up for school early because the poor girl had been ill and no-one else available.

“You're right, they're probably already gorging themselves on candy floss and toffee apples while waving sprinklers about.”

“Daisy probably for the first and last one, apparently she's going through a phase of hating apples at the minute.”

“Really? She ate the one I cut up for her the other day.”

Merlin gave him a side-eyed stare.

“… Did you make them into rabbits?”

Harry felt himself flush red a little at the looks he received from nearby parents who heard the comment; adoration from mothers who thought it cute a man his age would do such a thing and annoyed glares from fathers who knew their wives would later complain about them not learning how to do such things for their kids. Harry wasn't going to let it bother him, if Daisy wanted apple rabbits, Daisy would get apple rabbits. 

“… I happen to like learning new skills in the kitchen, there's nothing wrong with that.”

“Mhm, except when little girls refuse to eat apples because they're too normal.” A feminine voice accused, though when they turned to look they found she was smirking at the two of them.

“Michelle.” They said in unison. 

They never called her Mrs. Unwin after the first time when she'd cursed them both so fiercely it would have made a sailor blush crimson.

Michelle Unwin stepped forward giving Merlin a brief hug and turned to Harry to give him a handshake. While she may have forgiven him for what happened to Lee – and accepted that he was now a part of her son's life and by extension Daisy's – she hadn't been able to forget as easily meaning there was always a slight tension between them.

“You been teaching my daughter to only eat apples shaped like rabbits?”

“I assure you that wasn't the intention.”

Harry's earnestness caused Michelle to laugh almost obscenely loud garnering stares from other parents who'd never seen her so amused.

“I was only pissing you about Harry.” Michelle laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. “Truthfully, I think its sweet you'd do that for my baby girl.”

“I like making them for her.” Harry replied honestly.

“Where are the others? I thought they'd be with you a the very least.” Merlin said, looking around and not spotting anyone recognisable. 

“Eggsy took Daisy on the merry-go-round and then she wanted to go around again, so they should be there.” Michelle pointed in the direction of flashing lights and funfair music. “Roxy said she was gonna try and find some real food for you two, said you wouldn't be able to digest all the unhealthy stuff they're selling.”

“What is it with all the 'old' jokes today?”

“I didn't mean anything by it Merlin,” Roxy interrupted, joining them and handing out foam cups of steaming hot tea to thankful hands. “I just thought you'd prefer something hot and filling rather than spun sugar or popcorn.”

“I'll let you off this once because you had the sense to bring tea.” Merlin muttered taking a shuddering sip. 

Harry had told the stubborn fool he would need something thicker than his normal jacket.

“Thank you, Roxy.”

“Yeah, babe, thank you so much. Thought me hands were gonna fall off.”

“Your both welcome, Harry, Michelle.” She said glaring at Merlin only to get a hand wave in return. “I managed to find a stand selling hot dogs and baked potatoes. Other than that everything is just sugar.”

“It always is that way, Roxy. Even when I was a child, the majority of food sold was covered in sugar… or just sugar.” Harry said, eyeing a child with a bag of candy floss that was bigger than himself.

“Well, it must be a century old tradition then if you were still a kid.”

“You're only a few years younger than me Merlin. Remember that the next time you make an 'old' joke, hmm?”

“Who's makin' old jokes now bruv?”

“Uncle Harry! Uncle Merlin! You made it!”

As one the group turned to greet Eggsy and Daisy only to stop short at the sight of them.

Eggsy was holding two of the ridiculously huge bags of candy floss Harry had just seen and he had an enormous stuffed bear clenched under the same arm. Harry estimated that it would reach Eggsy's chest sat on the floor. His other hand was left free to hold his sister's hand, stopping her from floating away from the apparent sugar overdose she was currently ingesting. It was the sight of the little girl that had them pull up short.

More specifically the huge spiral lollipop she was licking.

It was bigger than her entire head.

And it was half-eaten already.

“Eggsy, babe?”

“Yeah mum?”

“What happened to getting Daisy something proper to eat before giving her sugar?”

“Err...”

Eggsy looked to Harry, Merlin and Roxy for help but they all looked away. In no way were they going to incur Michelle's wrath. Merlin, however, seemed to want to incite the younger agent.

“Oh, no lad. You got yourself into trouble, you can get yourself out of it.”

If glares could kill, Merlin would've been dead ten times over.

Daisy was content licking her lollipop.

“It's not like she gets overdosed on sugar every other day, mum.”

Harry couldn't let that one go, especially since he could see Merlin gearing up to steal it.

“So, Daisy didn't end up in a sugar coma on Halloween. You know, that holiday that passed just a few days ago?”

Eggsy turned his glare onto Harry. And then he smirked and Harry knew he was in trouble. 

Why had he even opened his mouth?

“Hey, Daisy-baby, why don't you go and greet Uncle Harry properly?”

Sure enough, the little girl launched her sticky self at Harry who quickly caught her with one arm as he held the hot tea away from his precious bundle to avoid it spilling on her. Daisy was proving quite adept at keeping Harry's reaction times up to speed with how unpredictable she could be.

It didn't stop him from glaring at Eggsy or the cuff around the ear Michelle gave her son at putting Daisy at risk of being harmed, unintentional though it may have been. Eggsy looked like he wanted to run over to check that Daisy really was okay, but resisted the urge – whether it was because he knew Harry would rather hurt himself than let any harm befall Daisy, Harry wasn't sure.

“Hi uncle Harry!” Daisy almost shrieked in his ear, giving him a big sticky, kiss on the cheek. “Do you want to try my lollipop?”

“Thank you for the offer, Miss Daisy,” Harry smiled at the giggle he got for the nickname while diligently trying to keep the offered sweet from getting stuck in his hair as Daisy flailed it around slightly, “however, I must decline as I am currently on a diet.”

“Oh! More for me then!”

Suddenly a pink-furred monstrosity landed on Daisy's head and Harry was hard-pressed not to immediately throw it away from them.

“I believe the Little Miss dropped something.” Merlin's deep voice calmed Harry enough that he could actually see what had attacked the girl.

Oh, it was just a bobble hat.

“Uncle Merlin!”

Daisy leapt from Harry to wrap her arms around Merlin's throat. What was it with the girl and trying to choke the man to death, Harry would never know.

“Hey, guys, I think they're talking about starting the bonfire now.”

It was perhaps a good thing Roxy was there to pay attention to what was going on. Michelle had been busy telling Eggsy off for the sugar and setting Daisy on Harry and the two older agents had been busy with said armful of Daisy.

Michelle moved over to Merlin and easily plucked the tiny girl out of the man's arms much to both their disappointment.

“Good timing, babe, hopefully this means the show will be done in half-an-hour and we can go home. Me legs are already killin' me.”

“Shouldn't have worn them heels then mum.” Eggsy cheeked, dodging a slap aimed his way as they followed the crowd at a distance to the school's playing field.

The smell of petrol was the first warning that perhaps even the precautions they'd enlisted may not be enough to stop Harry if he reacted badly to the night's events. The general hubbub of the large crowd of people, screams of the younger children and angry shouts of parents, was the second indication he might be forced to use the ring Merlin gave him.

Speaking of…

“Are you sure this ring of yours will work?”

“Almost 100% sure.” Merlin answer was immediate. He knew Harry wouldn't question him if he wasn't already nervous about the situation. “Simulations ran green and the theory is sound, if I do say so myself.”

“Having second thoughts, sir?”

Harry turned at Roxy's concerned tone, noticing that Eggsy too was listening in with half an ear as Daisy told him about her day. Michelle could obviously sense the tension rising in the older men and Harry was glad that she didn't question them about it.

“A little nervous, but that's natural. Just be prepared to do what's necessary in a worst case scenario.”

Harry saw the younger agents nod while Merlin fingered the signet ring on his own hand.

The crowd finally reached their destination, a few yards from the mountainous pyre made up of branches and sticks that was the intended bonfire. The Guy Fawkes effigy had been placed at the top, a hangman's noose tied around its neck and one of the masks that had become popular a few years ago thanks to a certain film.

Harry tried so very hard not to imagine a real, living person in its place.

The torch to light the bonfire was lit and spun through the night air with unnecessary flamboyancy as the torch wielder danced around the pyre, setting it on fire in stages so it would burn evenly as the night went on.

The heat reached the little group at the back and Harry had to close his eyes as he was pulled into so many memories of this exact event only the cries of joy and laughter were replaced by the screams of agony as someone burned to death. The smell of accelerated burning filled his nose and he almost gagged as his memory supplied the scent of burning flesh to the overall perfume of the fire. So many faces made unrecognisable, Harry had to-

“Harry! Harry, are you okay?”

He was jolted back to the present as Eggsy's voice broke through the tortured screams of his past. The young man in front of him looked so incredibly troubled, shaking Harry slightly to make sure he was all there. He turned to find Merlin and Roxy watching him apprehensively and suddenly he was okay. 

Harry was there with people who knew him, who cared for him and he knew he could trust them to stop him from doing something he would regret.

“I'm fine Eggsy, just a little flashback.”

“You sure, bruv? I mean, we can still leave if its too much for ya...”

“No, no, I should be fine. It was just the initial smell of the fire that caused it.”

“Well, won't you react the same way to the fireworks?”

“Not now. I just realised that I'm here with people I call family,” Harry smiled at the blushes he gained from Eggsy and Roxy. Even Merlin looked bashful and he noted out of the corner of his eye the wide smile Michelle tried to hide in Daisy's hat-covered head. “And realising that, I know I couldn't harm any of you and even if I did, I trust that you would stop me before any damage was done.”

“Well, aren't you adorable, Harry! And for the last 30 years I thought you would never trust anyone.”

“You're no longer classed as family with that comment, Merlin.”

In the warm heat haze from the bonfire and to the laughter of his friends, Harry felt that he could relax and let go of some of the burdens he had held for a very long time.

Of course, that was when the firework display started and the unexpected happened.

As the first rocket was let off in a cloud of smoke and sharp whistle that ended in a bang that reverberated in his ribcage, Harry noticed that Eggsy and Roxy had gone unnaturally still. Harry tugged on Merlin's arm to get his attention and pointed at the younger agents.

No one had foreseen the possibility of the two youngest agents suffering from PTSD and now Harry was feeling particularly foolish, the sentiment evidently echoed by Merlin.

Merlin went to Roxy while Harry stepped closer to Eggsy, subtly putting himself between Eggsy and anyone who could potentially become a target, the blasted fireworks still bellowing overhead and sending a rainbow of colours dancing across the night sky.

Harry turned to check on Michelle and caught the woman's worried stare, gratified that she sent a worried look to Roxy as well as her son. Somehow, she instinctively knew that she couldn't help either of them at that specific moment and nodded at Harry, communicating that she trusted him to look after her son while she distracted Daisy with the display.

Harry would do everything in his power to not let her down this time.

“Eggsy?” Harry spoke just loud enough to be heard over the blasts from the fireworks but not loud enough to disturb others. “Come on, Eggsy look at me!”

When that still didn't get a response, Harry grabbed Eggsy's face gently between his large hands and forced the younger man to look directly at him. Green eyes blinked slowly as if waking from a dream before locking onto Harry.

“Harry?”

Harry frowned at the slight slur to Eggsy's speech. Eggsy blinked again and shook his head, going full alert with the next barrage of fireworks going off.

“Hey, none of that. Just keep looking at me, Eggsy. That's right, come back.”

“Oh christ, Harry. Was that what it was like for you?”

Harry shrugged unsure as it hit everyone in different ways, he told Eggsy that as an attempt of comfort though it didn't appear to work. If he were being brutally honest, he was glad Eggsy had reached back to the present as quickly as he had. He knew from other agents that it wasn't always so easy.

Then again, Eggsy still flinched slightly with every rocket being set off.

“May I ask what happened?”

Eggsy looked to the ground and Harry suddenly knew what he had been his flashback. After all, he'd personally had a close encounter with the technology that was the cause of Eggsy's trauma.

“I could take a guess, but I think you already know what I'm going to say.”

Eggsy nodded and answered the question.

“V-day.” Eggsy looked angry at himself. “It's stupid! We've already gone through it, I thought it wouldn't bother me any more.”

“Flashbacks can come and go at any time. We never really know how or when we'll be affected.”

“But fireworks? Come on man, that's just lame.”

“Valentine was a sick, twisted man that added a chemical to those particular chips which caused the firework-like effect.” Harry contemplated his next theory before giving voice to it. “You've seen fireworks since then from afar and not been affected, perhaps your reaction was caused by proximity?”

“Maybe, I dunno.”

Eggsy still looked conflicted, so Harry pulled him around to have a clear view of Michelle and Daisy and the rest of the crowd, parents and children alike.

“Look at them, Eggsy. You saved all of these people standing here today. You saved millions more across the world.” Harry gently tilted Eggsy's face to look at him again, smiling encouragingly. “I know it hurts killing those people – and I'm not going to lie – it always will, but… if looking at these people safe and happy isn't worth that hurt and burden I don't know what is.”

Eggsy sniffled quietly and rubbed a few tears from his eyes.

“Dammit Harry, how do you always know the right thing to say?”

“Its another of my many talents.” Eggsy laughed and Harry couldn't help the indulgent smile. “Shall we check up on Roxy?”

“What's wrong with Rox?” Eggsy said, almost running into her when he spun around to look for his partner in crime. The young woman arched an eyebrow at Eggsy even as she steadied him from almost falling over.

“Nothing, Eggsy. The bang just took me back to the balloons exploding.”

“That aint nothing!”

“Roxy's a tough lass, lad.” Merlin could never not butt in, Harry sighed internally. “Besides, Lancelot hasn't been assigned missions involving air drops ever since, courtesy of Arthur.”

The two stared at him.

“I'm not allowed to protect the people I care about?”

“We wuv you too, Hawwy.”

“If you're not careful, I'll tell your mother about a certain Princess. I'm sure she'll be thrilled-”

“S'alright Harry, you don't need to go doing that.” Eggsy stammered quickly, before running off to his mum and sister.

“If I'd known that threat would work I would have used it years ago.”

“I'm sure Percival would be interested to learn of his niece's 6-month relationship with a blonde haired actress currently employed by Kingsman.”

“Sir, you wouldn't!”

Harry looked at her as though to say 'test me'.

Merlin pressed his lips together to stop the laughter bursting out.

“I'm just going to check on Michelle and Daisy.”

Merlin's control broke as Roxy zipped away at top speed.

“Shut it, you.” Harry snarked, playfully kicking out at the frustrating man. “Do you think they're going to be alright?”

Merlin sobered, looking at the happy family that glowed in the reflection of the fireworks still bursting into life overhead, though they had started to die down in preparation for the finale.

“Aye, they'll be great… given time.”

“Aye.” Harry repeated.

“When are you going to tell them?”

“I'll give them another month or so. If they haven't figured it out by then, we'll both tell them.”

Merlin grimaced at that but nodded in agreement.

The future, as ever, was uncertain and who knew what would await them. For now, though, they would live each moment as it came without worry. Looking at his family as they shone brighter than the final fireworks in the sky, Harry could only hope the happiness he saw there would last longer than the deadline he'd set.

**Author's Note:**

> What did I just do? I think I hinted at an overarching storyline. Bugger. Oh well, at least the next 'holiday' in the line up is Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Means I've got over a month to figure out what the hell I'm gonna do.... help! x(
> 
> Another thing, what do people think about pairings? I have a couple ideas but I can keep it Gen if that's the main consensus. I do plan on writing unrelated fics that have pairings, when I get around to it but this series literally came out of nowhere.
> 
> Oh, and there was a small mention early on about a Headteacher who died from a fire work exploding in his face. It's a true story that actually happened - almost 20 years ago now - in my own hometown, and while he wasn't my Headteacher, it did kinda traumatise everyone for a few years after the fact.... Not that it's noticeable now after 20 years right? Right?!


End file.
